Saudhulla against fining employers MVR 50,000 for failing to pay expat workers

People's National Congress (PNC) MP for North Thinadhoo constituency Saudhulla Hilmy has today voiced that he is against fining employers by MVR 50,000 for negligence towards expatriate employees.

The government has recently, for the first time, published a list of companies that have failed to pay expatriate worker related fees such as the quota fee and work permit fee, with over MVR 100,000 due to date. This list includes Saudhulla's private company as well, with it showing that his company owes MVR 1.1 million to the State.

Saudhulla is the owner of major construction company Swift Engineering Pvt Ltd.

He made these comments during today's debate in parliament on the amendments proposed by the government to the Employment Act concerning expatriate workers.

He insisted that during the committee stage, the amendment to fine employers MVR 50,000 for every expatriate they are negligent towards must be reviewed and revised.

"50,000 is not a small amount. If it's five people, then it's like having to pay MVR 250,000," Saudhulla said.

Saudhulla stated that if the State grants projects to private companies, and then do not settle payments, the companies would face difficulties in paying their workers.

He said that in some companies, there are expatriate workers who have not been paid in four to five months due to this, and said that this issue can only be resolved through ensuring the companies also receive the payments that are due to them.

"Such things need to be reconsidered during the committee stage, and changed accordingly," he said.

Saudhulla also took a stand against deporting expatriates living and working illegally in the country. His belief is that this is not fitting as a punishment, and said that instead, this encourages workers to flee.

Saudhulla said that construction field expatriate workers, who get a pay of USD 350, run away and join fishing vessels, then earning USD 2000. If they then attempt to leave after working in fishing for as long as they like, at which point the State deports them, then the loss is faced by the State and companies, which faces more loss than profit, Saudhulla claimed.

"Once deported, next day they go to Dubai, Qatar or Saudi. They're not facing a loss," he declared.

Saudhulla said that there are about 50,000 expatriates living illegally in the Maldives after having fled from their original employers. He urged to introduce other punishments instead of deporting them. He said that this would prove helpful in recovering fees and other revenue owed to the State.

The government is initiating firm efforts to identify and detain expatriates living and working illegally in the Maldives over recent months. Immigration and Police have been conducting joint raid operations, through which many expatriates conducting businesses illegally have been detained and placed on the deportation list.

Within the past eight months, the government has deported over 2000 expatriates living and working illegally in the Maldives.